Massage apparatus.



PATENTBD APP.. 5, 1904.

A. WARD.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY zo, 1903.

No MODEL.

Patented April 5, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lARTHUR wAHD, oE PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvANIA. AssIeNoE To THE ELEoTHIoTHEHMo-VIBEA co., on PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,441, dated April 5, 1904.

Application filed July 20, 1903. Serial No. 166,347. (N model.)

To cI/ZZ wiz/0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WARD, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Philaj delphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Massage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved massage apparatus, and has for its object to pro- Io vide an improved apparatus for imparting a variable vibratory motion to the hand of an operator for the purpose of giving a mechanical vibratory treatment to different parts of the human body. Y

To this end it consists in the features and in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims following the description, reference being had to the aczo companying drawings, forming a part of this speciication, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the apparatus in position for use. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of that part ofthe device for giving z5 the vibratory motion to the hand. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the means for attaching the apparatus to the hand of the operator. Fig. 4 is an end view of the universal joint for connecting the hand attachment to the pis- 3oV ton-rod.`

In practice it has been found that it is not only necessary to deliver a cushioned blow, but to vary the length of the stroke of the parts for imparting the blow and to also vary 3 5 the force with which the blow is struck, and

itis by means of the following apparatus that such purposes are accomplished.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a bowed plate of sheet metal provided at one end with an extension which projects laterally on both sides of the edges of said plate. The projecting ends of said `eX- tension are each provided with two overlapping clips 2 andthe other end lof the plate 1 is also provided with two bent-over clips 3 and a clip 4, which is struck up from the body of the plate and bent over in a direction opposite to the clips 3 3. All the clips mentioned are struck up integrally from the plate 1 and are designed to permit straps or elastic bands to be readily applied to and removed from the plate, so as to permit of differentsized straps being used, according to the size of the hand of the operator. In practice two straps are employed,V one being slipped beneath the clips 2 and passing around the 0perators hand in rear of the knuckles and the strap, which is retained by the clips 3 and 4, being passed around any suitable number of the fingers of the operators hand.

Secured centrally to the plate 1 is a screw 5, on which is screwed the ball 6, forming a part of the universal joint, which will now be described. Said joint consists of two metallic plates 7, each provided at its opposite ends with semicircular sockets 8, and the two parts 7 of the joint are secured together face to face, thus forming a joint having two spherical cavities at its opposite ends. In one of said cavitiesuor sockets is arranged the ball 6, and formed in the end of said socket are two intersecting and diametrically arranged slots 9, whereby the screw 5 may be turned to any one of four angles formed by the slots 9. Arranged in the other socket 8 is a ball 10, into which is screwed a rod 11. The rod and ball have only a circular or rotative movement in the socket 8, and the rod and joint are incapable of being turned at an anglerelative one to the other. Fixed on the opposite end of the rod 11 is a piston 12, which is arranged to reciprocate in a cylinder 13, which is closed at one end by a stuing-box 14 .of ordinary construction, through which the rod 11 passes,l

and at its other end by a cap 15. Arranged on opposite sides of the piston 12 are coiled springs 16 and 17, said springs being of equal power and operating to normally hold the piston centrally within the cylinder. In the opposite end portions of the cylinder 13 are formed elongated tapering ports 18. Ar-

ranged around those portions of the cylinder` in which the ports are formed are slotted collars 19, said collars being connected together by a bar 20, provided with a handle 21, by means of which the slotted collars 19 may be rotated about the cylinder to cover the ports or to uncover them to a greater or less extent. Screwed into the cap 15 of the cylinder is a rod 22, provided at its end with a cup-shaped head 23, in which is rigidly fixedas by solder, for example-one end of a coiled spring 24, the other end of said spring being fixed in a like manner to a cup-shaped head 25, which is ixecl on a sleeve 26. The sleeve 26 is rotatably mounted on a crank-pin 27, fixed eccentrically to a head 28, which is adapted to be fixed on a rotatable shaft, as will presently be explained. The sleeve 26 is rotatably held on the crank-pin 27 by a headed'screw 29, and said sleeve, on the interior of its opposite ends, is provided with grooves 30, which are for the purpose of receiving a lubricant.

The numeral 31 indicates a vertical rod or standard 4mounted at its lower end in a movable or portable base 32, and on the upper end of said standard is fixed a stout stiff rubber tube 33. Mounted on the upper end of said rubber tube is an electric motor 34 of ordinary construction, the shaft 35 of which lits within the head 28, and said head is held fixed on said shaft by means of a set-screw 36.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: The operator passes a suitable elastic band or strap around his hand in rear of the knuckles and another strap or band around two or three of his fingers. The straps are then slipped -beneath the clips 2 and 3 and 4 of the platel, before referred to, when the apparatus will be in position for use. When the electric motor is set in operation, the head 28 will be rotated and the crank-pin 27 will impart a reciprocatory movement to the exible shaft 24 and through the medium of the latter to the other parts of the device. The operator holds his hand upon the 'particular muscles to be massaged, and as theparts are reciprocated back and forth his hand will be caused to pat the muscle or impart to said muscle arapid series of blows of more or less force. By

means ofthe flexible shaft 24 the operator is enabled to move his hand freely about in all directions, and by means of the ball-and-socket joint 6 he is enabled to move ,the device which carries the straps that attach his hand .to the apparatus in any desired angular position,

while at the same time the saidhand-holding attachment 'can be rotated or turned axially in any desired position.' The springs'16 and 17 within the cylinder,and which are arranged on opposite sides of the piston 12, give a cushioned effect to the blows, absorbing a portion of the'impact of the movement.V If

partial vacuum behindit. If the collars 19 be now turned so as to open the ports 18 but slightly,as the cylinder moves on the piston the air will be permitted to escape slowly and the relative movement between the piston and the cylinder will be slightly greater than that before described. If the said collarsbe turned so as to entirely open said ports, the air will be permitted to escape freely and the piston will then be permitted to have its maximum movement relatively to the cylinder. It will be obvious that as the resistance to the movement of the piston is decreased the stroke of the pisvton will be increased, and it will also be manifest that as said stroke is increased the force of the springs will decrease, and hence the blow imparted by the hand will be lessened. By the means described the length of the stroke may be varied within certain limits at will While the apparatus is in motion. Without altering the stroke the operator is also enabled to move the hand-piece and with it his hand at any desired angle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an apparatus of the class described, thecombination with a motor, of a flexible connection connected to said motor and arranged toy be reciprocated thereby, means carried by the end of the flexible connection for attaching the latter to the hand of the operator, whereby a vibratory movement is imparted to the hand, and an adjustable resistance arranged between the flexible connection and hand-holding device for regulating the length of the stroke and the impact `of the blow, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a piston arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, and means for reciprocating said cylinder, for the purpose specified.

IOO

IIO

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, 'a piston arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each Y`side of the piston, means `universally connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of theoperator, and means 'for reciprocating said'cylinder, for 'the'fpurpose specified.

4. In an apparatus of tli'e' character described, the combination ofa cylinder, a piston arranged centrally therein, coile'd springs arranged in the cylinder on'e'ach'side 'of the piston, means universally and 'rotatively connected to the end of the piston-rod forattaching thereto the hand ofthe operator, and

means for reciprocating said cylinder, for lthe 'ton arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, means for reciprocating said cylinder, and means for altering the stroke of theV piston at will, for the purpose specified.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, apiston arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, means for reciprocating said cylinder, and means for admitting air to and discharging it from the opposite ends of the cylinder, for the purpose specified.

. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a pis-` ton arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, means for reciprocating said cylinder, means for admitting air to and discharging it from the opposite ends of the cylinder, and means for regulating the quantity of air so admitted and discharged, for the purpose specified.

8." In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a piston arranged centrally therein, elongated tapered ports being formed circumferentially in the opposite end portions of the cylinder, means for covering and uncovering said ports to any desired extent, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, and means for reciprocating said cylinder, for the purpose specified. i

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a piston arranged centrally therein, elongated tapered ports being formed circumferentially in the opposite end portions of the cylinder, slotted collars rotatively arranged on the ends of the cylinder for covering and uncovering said ports to any desired extent, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the n'ected to the end'of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, and means for reciprocating said cylinder, for the purpose specified.

one -end of the piston-rod and rotativelyfitted in one of said sockets, a ball rotatively fitted in the other socket, a plate, a screw passing through said plate and into said ball, means carried by the plate for attaching the latter to the hand of the operator, and means for reciprocating the cylinder, for the purpose specied.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a plate, clips bent up from the opposite ends of the plate in parallelism therewith, bands removably confined between the clips and plate and constructed to pass around the hand and fingers of the operator, and means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said plate, for the purpose specified.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, a bowed plate, clips bent up from the opposite ends of the plate in parallelism therewith,

4bands removably confined between the clips and plate and constructed to pass around the hand and lingers of the operator, and means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said plate, for the purpose specified.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a plate bowed intermediate its ends and provided with lateral extensions at one of its ends, clips struck up from the sides of said eXtensions and bent over said extensions in parallelism with the latter, said clips overlapping IOO one another at their ends, clips formed on the other end of the plate and bent over the latter into parallelism therewith, a clip struck up from the plate between the two last-named clips and bent in an opposite direction thereto, bands removably confined between said plate and clips and constructed to pass around the hand and iingersof the operator, and means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said plate, for the purpose specified.

l5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a piston arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to theend of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, a rotatable shaft, a head fixed on said shaft and provided with an eccentric wristpin, a sleeve rotatively mounted on said wristpin, and a flexible shaft connected at one end with said sleeve and at the other end with the end of the cylinder, for the purpose specified.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a piston arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, a cup-shaped head attached tothe end of.' the cylinder, al rotary shaft, a heady Xed onisaid shaft, an eccentric Wrist-pin on said head, ya rotatable sleeve on the Wrist-pin, a vcup-shaped head fixed on lsaid sleeve, and a coiled spring fixed at its opposite ends in said cup-shaped head, for the purpose specified.

17. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a piston .arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinder on each side of the piston, means connected to the end of the piston-rod for attaching thereto the hand of the operator, a Vertical support, an electric motor arranged on the upper end of said support, a head xed on the end of the motorshaft, an eccentric Wrist-pin on said head, a sleeve on the Wrist-pin, and a ieXible shaft ton arranged centrally therein, coiled springs arranged in the cylinderv on each side of the piston, means connected to theend of lthe piston-rod for attaching theretoA the hand of the operator, a vertical support, a flexible tube y 'amounted on the upper end of said support,an`

electricmotor mounted 'on the upper end of said flexible tube, a head fixed onv the end of the motor-shaft, an eccentric lWrist-pin on said head, a sleeve on the Wrist-pin, and a flexible shaft connecting said sleeve to the end of the cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribinglwitnesses.

ARTHUR WARD. Witnesses:

S. E. PATTERSON, E. WRATZMAN. 

